Seating articles



INVENTOR. WALTER P. BAERMANN BY a! Sept. 25, 1962 w. P. BAERMANN SEATING AR'IICLE 2 Sheets-Sheec 2 Filed. Jan. 6, 1961 INVENTOR: WALTER P. BAERMANN 3055708 SEATING ARTICLES Walter P. Baerrnann, Waynesville, N.C. assignor to Prestige Furniture Corporation, Newton, N.C., a corporation of Nortl1 Carolina Filed Jan. 6, 1961, Set. N0. 81,080 6 Claims. (C1. 297-445) This invention relates to furniture and more particularly to articles of seating. The invention is especially coucerned With =upholstered furnture and more specifically With chairs, sofas and the like for use in living roorns, leunges and similar locations.

One of the ebjects of the invention is to provide upholstered articles ef seating that are lighter in weight than conventional upholstered seati'ng articlcs.

Another object of the invention is to provide uphelstered furniture having uniform Weight distribution and greater stability and cornfort.

Still a further object of the inventien is to previde new and improved upholstered furniture having good strength and durability.

Anether objec-t of the invention is te provide a new and improved type of upholstered chair structure which eliminates many ef the requirements for present day manufacture of upholstered chairs.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a new and improved chair structure characterized by the fact that arm chairs, armless chairs and chairs having wings on the armer back can be made readily frorn the same basic structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved seating structure manufactured from streng but light weight melded materials.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the foflowing description in conjunction witl1 the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 represents ene embediment =of an armless upholstered chair provided in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 illustrates an ernbodiment of the invention consisting of an upholstered arm chair With wings on the arms;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded view illustrating the component parts ef the essential main structure of the chair shown in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 illustrates -a modification of the structure shown in FIGURE 3 which makes it possible to manufacture a chair having the structure shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 illustrates a partial assembly ef the combined seat and back formed by uniting twe of the components shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is -a sectional view taken verticall=y from front to back through the center of the chair shown in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken vertically and transversely through the chair shown in FIGURE 2.

Referring to FIGURE 3 ef the drawings, i-t will be seen that the main supporting structure of the chair illustrated consists ef a -front er upper Shell 1 and a back er lower shell 2. Bach of these shells is a unitary molded structure Which is preferably mad-e by felting cellulose fibers from an aqueous slurry en a porous forrner er die on which the bers accurnulate to the desired thickness. In practice, it is prefera=ble te make each Shell a-s a preforn1 of molded bers and eaeh pre-form is dried to produce a final shell having a thickness from about inch to inch. The two shells are so shaped that they telescope into each other and have coinciding edges along the freut, bottom, sides and back With an air space in the sides and back. The two shells are then bonded tonited States Patent gether at the points where they contact and more particularly at the edges either by means of adhesive er by stapling to produce a unitary strueture 3 as shown in FIG- URE 5.

The unitary structure affords excellent resiliency and unusual durability and, at the same time, it is relatively light in weight.

The bottom er seating part of the unitary structure has the corresponding areas of both shells centacting throughout -as shown in FIGURES 6 and 7. In the bettom area therefore the shells provide an unusually streng larninated strueture.

lt will be observed from FIGURES 3, 5, 6 and 7 of the drawings that the bottom er seating area of the skin stress structure has a recess er re-entrant space 4. The laminated parts 5 and 6 in this area provide an unusually streng suppor-ting stru*cture for springs er other types of resilient means that are employed to give the seating area resiliency. The invention is not limited to the use ef any particular type of resilient means. Conventional steel springs can be employed, sponge rubber can also be used, er elastic bags containing air er other compressible fluid can be used. In any case, the pertions 5 and 6 of the shell structure provide an unusually streng support and make it virtually impossible for the resilient means such as springs te break through the bottom of the chair as so often happens in cenventional up holstered furniture. As shown in FIGURE 6, the well er recess area 4 is pre ferably deeper toward the back of the chair. This is made possible by providing a rather sharply inclined ar-ea 7 which torrns an ebtuse angle 8 with a less shar-ply inclined area 9 extending approximately to the center of the chair as measured from freut to back where there -is a greater obtuse angle 10 With respect to a less sharpl=y inclined area 11. The latter makes anether obtuse angle 12 with an upwardly inclined area 13.

As shown by FIGURE 7, the two shells are spaced from each ether -at the sides so as to -provide hellow spaces 14 and 15. A hellow space 16 is also previded between the two shells at the rear of the chair as shown in FIGURE 6.

As shown in FIGURE 7, the side portions 17 and 18 of the shell structure are provided with flanges generally shown at 19 and 20 where the two shells meet and are united by an adhesive er other means. Ranges 19 and 20 provide inset er recessed -areas 21 and 22 and the upper shell is molded in such a way as te provide oppesing inset er recessed areas 23 and 24.

When it is desired to 1nake an arm chair, a separate piece 25 is molded in such a way that it Will fit in telescoping relationship over the portion 26 of the upper shell 1 and seat in the recesses 22 and 24. The opposite arm is constructed in -a similar manner. The arm piece 25 in each case is riveted er otherwise fastened to the upwardly extending ortion 26.

Where it is desired to provide a Wing on the arm, a wing piece 27 is molded and riveted er otherwise fastened to the arm piece 25 as shown in FIGURE 7. By comstructing the shells, the arm pieces and the wing pieces from a felted cellulose rnaterial, it is easily possible to staple these pieces together. Thus wing piece 27 can be fastened to the top of the arm piece 25 by means of a staple 28 and the flange 29 of the wing piece 27 can 'be fastened to the side of the arm piece 25 by a staple 30. It will be understood, of course, that a number of staples may be required fer this operation. In a sirnilar manner, the wing piece 31 on the opposite side 0f the chair is fastened to the arm piece 32.

The legs and frame of the chair generally shown at 33 in FIGURE 3 preferably consist of a welded steel base 34 to which the legs 35, 36, 37 and 38 are suitably fastened in any conventional manner.

The shel1 structure in the perimeter of the seating area is molded with a marginal ortion 39 where the upper and lower shells coincide as shown in FIGURE 7. This seats on the top of the welded steel frame 34 and the Shell structure is fastened to the welded steel frame -by means of screws 40 or other suitable means.

A prefered type of spring arrangement is illustrated in FIGURES 3, 6 and 7 and consists of a plurality of rubber Webs 41 which extend from front to back of the chair and are held in place by fastencrs 42 and 43. Bach of fasteners 42 and 43 consists of a bent metal bar which has a clamping portion adapted to clarnp one end of the rubber webbing. The rubber webbing is preferably reenforced With fabric at the clarnping p011in. The other end of the fastener is attached, for example, by means of one of the screws 40 to the shell structure and the frame. A similar support webbing 45 runs from side to side either above or below the webbing 41 and is held by fasteners 44. In the embodirnent shown, the webbing 45 is below the webbing 41. While only a single webbing 45 is shown, it will be understood that a plurality of webs can be employed substantially corresponding in number to the Webs that run from front to back of the chair.

In order to obtain a cushioning effect in the seat and back of the chair, it is preferable to use molded filler pieces made from polyether-type urethane foarn. These picces are pre-forrned to the contours of the chairs basic structure. As shown in FIGURE 6, the pre-formed molded polyurethane foam section 46 is adhesively secured to the upper shell 1 to form the back of the chair. Another piece of polyurethane foam 47 is providcd beneath the seat cushion over the springs. Saat cushion 48 may also be composed of a molded polyurethane foarn. Another molded resilient piece 49, preferably consisting of polyurethane, is provided across the front of the chair. The entire upper art 0f the chair is then covered With a Suitable fabric 50. Polyurethane foam or other suitable padding material can be provided between the fabric and the shell 011 the arms of the chair.

Where an armless chair is desired of the type shown in FIGURE l, the telescoping arm and wing sections are omitted.

The thickness of the pre-molded foam cushioning may vary substantially, for example, frorn inch on the arms to 2 /2 to 3 inches on the backs.

While the multiple Shell structure is preferably made from cellulose, other materials which are moldable to self-sustaining structures may be used including, for example, thermoplastic sheet materials, mixtures of cellulose fibers and cut bundles of glass filarnents (cut rovings), mixturcs of cellulose fibers and synthetic bers (eg. polyamides such as nylon, polyesters such as Dacron), mixtures containing rubber, mixtures containing synthetic rubber, and the like. The various mixtures may also contain binders or reinforcing substances. Thus, mixtures of Cellulose bers and cut glass rovings /2 inch to 6 inches in length) containing to 95% cellulose based on the weight of the total bers and 5% to 25% by Weight of a polyester resin aliord excellent Shell structures for the purpose of the invention. Similarly, asbestos and other fibers can be used.

The invention provides a simple method of manufacturing light durable upholstered articles of seating. Dowel joints and the like are eliminated. Contours of any desired shape can be obtained. Armless and arm chairs for living rooms and lounges are readily produced With or without arm wings and back wings.

This invention is hercby claimed as follows:

1. A seating article having a cornbined seat, side and back structure comprising a pair of molded shells coutacting one another substantially throughont the seat portion of said structure and at the edges of said shells and having hollow spaces between said shells in the side and back portions of said structure.

2. A seating article having a cornbined seat, side and back structure comprising a pair of molded shells contacting one another substantially throughout the seat portion of said structure and at the edges of said shells and having hollow spaces between said shells in the side and back portions of said structure, said seat portion being recessed and having resilient rneans disposed in said recess.

3. A seating article having a cornbined seat, side and back structure comprising a pair of molded shells coutacting one another in the seat portion of said structure and at the edges of said shells and having hollow spaces between said shells in the side and back portions cf said structure, and molded arm sections telescopically arranged on said side portions of said structure.

4. A seating article having a cornbined seat, side and back structure comprising a pair of molded shells coutacting one another in the seat portion of said structure and at the edges of said shells and having hollow spaces between said shells in the side and back portions cf said structure, molded arm sections telescopically arranged 011 said side portions of said structure and molded wing sections fastened to said arm sections.

5. A seating article having a cornbined seat, side and back structure cornprising a pair of molded shells contacting one another substantially throughout the seat portion of said structure and at the edges of said shells and having hollow spaces between said shells in the side and back portions of said structure, the portions of said structure normally subjected to direct pressure by the user being covered with a plastic resilient cellular material, and a covcring material over said resilient cellular material and the other parts of said structure normally exposed to vrew.

6. A seating article having a cornbined seat, side and back structure comprising a pair of molded shells comtacting one another substantially throughout the seat portion of said shells and at the edges of said shells and having hollow spaces between said shells in the side and back portions of said structure, the perimeter of the contacting shells in the seat portion of said structure being shaped to sit on a rectangular frame member to Which legs are attached.

References Cited in the filc of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,3M,318 Niedringhaus July 13, 1943 2488728 Kopplin Nov. 22, 1949 2711,786 Weiss Inne 28, 1955 2728382 Baranski Dec. 27, 1955 2764,228 Donohue Sept. 25, 1956 2,824,602 Collins Feb. 25, 1958 2,831,534 'I'haden Apr. 22, 1958 

